ABSTRACT
Background: Respiratory tract infections have been one of the commonest types of infections affecting the Indian population. With antibiotic resistance being a global threat and challenge to healthcare, concerns over skilful and judicious use of existing antibiotics have been on rise. Update on region specific bacterial susceptibility pattern is thus a need. The present study was planned to identify the common pathogens responsible for the respiratory tract infection and their antibiotic susceptibility patterns.Methods: A prospective study was carried out, where subjects with lower respiratory tract (LRT) infection admitted in the Intensive Care Unit in the tertiary care centre in Eastern India during the one-year period were enrolled in the study. Samples such as sputum, suction tip, endotracheal aspirate, bronchial aspirate and pleural fluid were obtained under aseptic precautions and were processed. The bacterial isolates were subjected to susceptibility testing by standard Kirby Bauer disc diffusion methods. The susceptibility patterns of the bacterial pathogens were determined.Results: Out of 234 processed samples, klebsiella (33.44%) was found to be commonest pathogen isolated from all the sites followed by Pseudomonas, staphylococcus and others. Amongst the penicillin group of antibiotics, ampicillin showed highest activity against pseudomonas and E. coli respectively. Antibiotics like penicillin G, ampicillin/sulbactam and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid combination showed lower susceptibility towards most pathogens. Amongst broad spectrum antibiotics, amikacin showed high susceptibility towards pseudomonas species followed by chloramphenicol and tetracycline.Conclusions: With changing trends in microbiological patterns of responsible organisms, knowledge regarding antibiotic susceptibility pattern needs to be regularly revised, thus ensuring prompt initiation of adequate and appropriate antibiotic treatment with better patient outcomes.